An Act to improve access to health care for people with Long COVID

This bill establishes a state-funded pilot program to improve healthcare access for Massachusetts residents diagnosed with Long COVID. It requires the health department to create a culturally-specific patient navigation program aligned with the National Academies' Long COVID definition, focusing on reducing barriers to treatment and connecting patients to clinical care, specialists, insurance support, and nonmedical services like housing or transportation assistance. The program includes data collection, needs assessments, and navigation for both medical and social needs, with provisions for reimbursement of navigator services. A consumer advisory board of Long COVID patients and healthcare providers must guide the program's development, and the department must report to the legislature within one year on the pilot's results and potential for expansion.